It should be obvious from the information on the Web page that all
three phrases of the rite of transition are present in Jewish birth
rituals. The incorporation of the child into the community takes
place with the naming of the child Naming for girls takes place in synagogue
service. Naming for boys takes place during the Covenant of
Circumcision (brit milah) eight days after birth. This
eight day period of time corresponds to the transitional or liminal
phase. During time the child is no longer connected to his mother,
but he is not yet connected to the sacred community. That connection or
incorporation into the community takes place when the child is named. Circumcision (cutting away of the foreskin of the penis) is common in
many cultures and, is often associated with
"initiation ceremonies" in many cultures. In Judaism, it is
an "outward physical sign of the eternal covenant between God and
the Jewish people." It is thus a sign of being a part of
(incorporated into) the larger community and a participant in the
covenant between God and his people.

Rites of Initiation: Bar Mitzvah and
Bat Mitzvah

In Judaism, a child is not required to observe the commandments
until the age of 12 (for girls) and 13 (for boys). In preparation for
their new status, Jewish children attend special religious education at
the synagogue where they study Hebrew and learn the meaning of the
commandments. Upon reaching the "age of accountability" the child
is obligated to observe the commandments of the Torah (Law) and is
considered a Son of the commandment (bar mitzvah) or daughter of the
commandment (bat mitzvah). In recognition of this new status, the young
person is invited to recite a blessing during the synagogue service.
Over time the bar/bat mitzvah ceremony has become more elaborate. The
child not only participates in the reading of the Torah, he or she also
is expected to read (in Hebrew!) a lesson from the prophets, participate
in the service and make a speech. In many traditions today, a joyful and
elaborate reception follows the service.

The incorporation phase is most prominent in the bar or bat mitzvah. The young person is incorporated fully into the community
of those obligated to keep the Law. Notice that the Judaism 101 Web site
compares the reception following the bar mitzvah to the reception
following a wedding. One might conclude that in the bar mitzvah,
the community is celebrating the young persons "marriage" to
the Torah (Law) and to the community of those who are expected to keep
the Torah.

Rituals of Mourning

Death represents the greatest and most
difficult transition that people in any society must face. On the one
hand, the status and responsibilities of the loved ones of the
deceased have changed. This change in status is emphasized
by the mourners' separation from the community. Indeed, the separation
phase is most prominent in the rites of mourning in Judaism.
Separation is especially intense immediately after the death. The family
is left alone for two days during which time their only obligation
is to make the necessary arrangements for the burial. There follows
periods of time lasting seven days, thirty days and a full year, each
with a lesser degree of separation from the community. During these
times the bereaved are not expected to fulfill the normal
obligations and responsibilities required of members of the community of
faith. During the time of mourning, the loved ones are not only honoring the memory
of the deceased, they are also assuming new roles required by
separation from the loved one.

The periods of mourning also correspond to
the notion that the soul of the deceased must spend some time purifying
itself before it can enter the next world. In a sense then the deceased
is going through a similar rite of passage: death is the separation from
the community and loved ones; the transitional phase is the time
required for purification of the soul: and the incorporation occurs when
the purification is complete and the soul of the departed enters
the world to come. It should be noted that within Judaism, there
are varying interpretations of the concept of the "world to
come."